Inventions

Inventions

Introduction When you think of an invention, what comes to mind? Is it something wacky or something useful? Every day, people all over the world come up with new inventions. These inventions often give us a better way to do something. Most inventions make life easier or more enjoyable. An invention isn't always a thing. An invention can also be a process. Examples of processes are ways of making certain metals or glass, or even kinds of cheese.

Not every invention is useful. Over the years there have been many weird inventions. All of these inventions were made to fulfill a need or a want. But many of these weird inventions either didn't work, or caused more trouble than good.

Inventions Follow Inventions One invention often leads to another invention. For an example, let's look at the wheel. Long ago, the only way people could get from place to place was to walk. It could take days to walk long distances. Then, someone invented the wheel. Next, people started putting wheels on logs and boards. These simple carts made it easier to carry goods and people over long distances. Then people started using horses, oxen, or mules to pull the carts. Riding on carts was less work than walking and made it easier for travel.

In the 1800s, the gasoline engine was invented. The engine could be placed on carts and used to power them. Mules, horses, and oxen were not needed as much. Engines have led to the invention of many other things that help move people and goods from place to place. Some of these inventions are steamboats, cars, trains, and airplanes. These inventions helped people and goods cross whole continents in just a few days.

Over time, more inventions made engines better. Today, jet engines help planes fly all over the world very quickly. The jet engine, and humans' desire to fly higher and faster, led to the invention of a more powerful engine called the rocket engine. The rocket engine helps send people into space and to the Moon. It took many steps and many years of inventing to get people from the first airplane to the spacecraft that took humans to the Moon.